Horticultural Therapy is a big part of the landscape at the Alberta Children’s Hospital in Calgary, but some patients are unable to go outside and get their hands dirty in the gardens. Now, thanks to Agrium, the hospital has the tools to bring gardening to the patients both inside and outside.

Agrium donated $450,000 over the past five years toward the Horticultural Therapy Program, and a portion of the donation went toward the Virtual Garden computer program – an interactive play station where children can design their own e-gardens. It even teaches them about space requirements and native plant species.

"The Virtual Garden unit is used primarily in our Art Studio and is also portable so it can be moved to a specific hospital unit as desired,” explains Sade Nasser, Senior Associate of Major Gifts with the Alberta Children’s Hospital Foundation. “The unit also comes with four small tablets that replicate the larger unit and are used with patients one-on-one in their rooms. All of the patients that have used the program really love it.”

Agrium’s donation also helped cover costs for the Horticultural Therapy program, including staffing and program supplies.

“Digging in the soil, planting those seeds, planting the plants, watching them grow, it’s not difficult to see how therapeutic that can be for our children,” says Margaret Fullerton, Vice President, Alberta Children’s Hospital.

The seed of Agrium’s contribution was planted when Angela Lekatsas, Agrium’s Vice President and Treasurer, took note of the Horticultural Therapy Program several years ago. She thought it would be a great initiative for Agrium to support, so she brought it to the company. It didn’t take her long to convince her colleagues – or the rest of Agrium’s employees – the value in providing a fun, educational distraction during a time that can be difficult for families visiting the hospital.

Volunteers from Agrium improve the gardens each spring with their own sweat, as they help clean up the grounds and get them ready for patients to enjoy.

And Agrium’s generosity hasn’t gone unnoticed – the hospital hosted a gift celebration this fall to showcase the recently launched Virtual Garden, and to recognize and thank Agrium for its support.

“We’re able to take the very best in clinical care, research and combine it with programs such as the one you have supported, to really make that experience for the child as best as it can be,” said Saifa Koonar, President & CEO of Alberta Children’s Hospital Foundation.

Agrium President & CEO Mike Wilson said helping out is simply part of what we do.

“As a parent and as a grandparent, you do feel the pride and joy when your kids are healthy and doing well, but you get the heartbreak when children are sick or ill or injured. I want to assure you that we will always try to do things for children,” he said. “One in four children in Calgary comes through this hospital. Where would we be without it?”